Axle housings for vehicles are well-known by those skilled in the art for housing axle shafts, as well as differentials. Axle housings are also well-known to those skilled in the art for mounting and/or securing various structures, such as suspensions components, thereto.
There are many prior art devices designed to attach to the axle housing so that suspension components can be attached to it. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,896 teaches that a hanger bracket for a suspension member is welded to an outside surface of an axle housing. The hanger bracket is welded to the housing so as to surround the lower hemisphere of the axle housing. Two screws are located through two apertures on either side of the bracket contact the exterior of the axle housing to help distribute a twisting type load.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,251 also teaches a hanger bracket for a suspension member that is attached to the outside surface of an axle housing. The hanger bracket is secured to the axle housing by bolts that are secured at one end to the hanger bracket and secured at the other end to, or about, the axle housing. Welding is also used to secure the hanger bracket to the axle housing. Specifically, a weld is located in a window of the hanger bracket. The window is located on an upstanding side portion of the hanger bracket and thus provides access to a side of the axle housing. A weld may also be located along the top portion of the hanger bracket where it abuts the axle housing.
The prior art devices discussed above, as well as other similar prior art devices, suffer from several drawbacks. While not specifically mentioned in the prior art patents above, it is common to attach suspension components to hanger brackets with U-bolts. The bolts are costly as they are typically constructed of high strength steel. Some bolts must be quite long as they must extend from below the axle housing to about the suspension member. Secondly, the prior art devices are complicated and cumbersome to secure to the axle housing. More particularly, the prior art devices require them to be separately attached to the axle housing, such as by welding. In light of at least these disadvantages, it would be advantageous to have a system for attaching components to an axle housing that was inexpensive and easy to use.